The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has officially appointed Desmond Ofei as the new assistant coach of the Black Stars, replacing Joseph Laumann, who has been dismissed from his role.
Joseph Laumann, a Moroccan-born German coach, was initially brought in to assist Otto Addo after the disbandment of Chris Hughton’s technical team following Ghana’s disappointing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign in Ivory Coast.
However, Laumann’s tenure ended after the Black Stars failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON tournament.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the GFA confirmed Ofei’s appointment as part of a revamped technical team led by head coach Otto Addo, with experienced German tactician Winfried Schäfer taking on the role of technical advisor.
“Coming on board as assistant to Otto Addo is the architect of Ghana’s resurgence at the male Under-20 level, Coach Desmond Ofei.
“The Africa Games gold medal-winning coach and Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Coach of the Year 2024, who has swiftly carved a niche for himself as an achiever, is expected to bring his expertise and deep analytical prowess to the team.”
Additionally, the GFA announced Gregory De Grauwe as the new chief video analyst and Kris Perquy as the team’s psychologist.
Desmond Ofei, a UEFA A (Level 4) Licensed Professional Coach, has an impressive résumé. He previously coached the U-18 and U-21 teams at Royal Antwerp FC and held similar roles at Lokeren and Lusitano SAD.
Ofei also serves as the head of high performance at the Technical Directorate and has accumulated coaching and scouting experience across Europe and Africa, including stints in Belgium, England, Holland, France, Portugal, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.
Ofei’s track record includes leading Ghana’s U-20 team, the Black Satellites, to win gold at the 2023 African Games and securing qualification for the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, set to take place in Ivory Coast from April to May.
He is expected to bring this wealth of experience and success to the senior national team.